Saturday, September 29, 2007

Liveblogging half the AFL Grand Final

1.53 pm (SA time)

The teams have just come onto the ground. The Power are full of beans, leaping around like kids on speed, couldn't wait to get out there; Tredders led them out like a warrior expecting to kick butt. They burst through their banner as if it wasn't there.

Geelong by contrast looked as if they were about to get off the boat on the beach at Gallopoli. Some of them appeared to be praying, others to be trying not to vomit. They ran under their banner. Every one of them was wearing a tragic expression except for inspired feral redhead Cameron Ling, who looked like he couldn't wait to sink his teeth into something teal.

Port Adelaide Magpies legend Tim Ginever predicted yesterday on the radio that the first goal would be kicked by Port's Brett Ebert. We'll soon know.

2.09 pm Well, Ebert had two chances for it: the first was a point and the second a spray, and the first goal has just been kicked by the favourite for it (8-1 apparently), Geelong's Cameron Mooney. Geelong's Matthew Stokes has just been carried off the ground with a very nasty-looking knee injury.

2.19 pm Stokes is clearly not as badly hurt as he looked, as he is back and warming up to get back out on the ground. The Power's first goal has just been kicked by its captain; considering Tredders had just had his head pounded into the turf by an overnthusiastic Geelong tackler it's a wonder he was conscious, much less able to kick a goal. OTOH, judging by the volume and quality of the noise coming from the teeve, I fear Geelong may have just replied.

In other predictions, Gavin Wanganeen said earlier this week that he thought if the Indigenous players were in form then the Power would win. ('Maybe it's something to do with the spiritual side of things, who knows?' he said, thereby using a word I don't think I've ever heard a footballer use in my life before and probably never will again.) They're certainly doing well so far, especially Danyle Pearce and the magical Peter Burgoyne.

2.36 pm and as I was writing that remark about Burgoyne he kicked a goal, but it's now the end of the first quarter and the score is Geelong 5.7 to Port Adelaide 2.2, which is pretty seriously not good. Mark Williams will be having a few harsh words about now, I should think.

Matthew Stokes is back on the ground and not even strapped up or anything. Academy Award city.

The Burgoyne brothers and the Cornes brothers have seen a lot of action already, while Nathan Ablett has also been in the thick of things (no kicks but lots of hard work) but nary a peep out of Gary Jr to date. Chad Cornes just took a very nasty bump to the head so I hope he is all right. Brownlow winner Jimmy Bartel has had a hard time getting away from Kane but when he did, about a minute before the end of the quarter, he put it to very good use and kicked himself a goal.

Peter Burgoyne and Warren Tredrea appear to be the only Power players on the ground.

I lived in Geelong for a year (1980) so I have some idea what it will mean to/for the town. I don't mind that they won. I just mind that it was so deeply excruciating. A seven-point victory would still have been a victory, after all.

And, as you would know, things only got worse for Port after half time. Disappointing that the game was so lopsided and basically over as a contest just after quarter time. Not sure if Port just didn't show up to play or they were utterly outgunned?

As a person who doesn't follow football at all, but finds it a bit intriguing when we get to Final day (and we gather for the traditional BBQ at the traditional friend's place), I hate to watch the losing team sitting on the grass crying while the winning team prance around high-fiving. I was positive Geelong would lose, as they so badly needed a win after the Holden factory debacle and other hits the town had taken.

By the end, I was much sorrier for Port and glad we had to leave before the final siren for another commitment.

Ian -- well, they slaughtered the Kangaroos last week and the Kangaroos are a good team. But today (she said expertly; hah) I think it was a combination of the loss of Michael Wilson, too many players not playing (ie all but the Cornes brothers, the Burgoyne brothers and the captain, ie 5 v 18) and -- perhaps most importantly -- brilliant Geelong coaching. They systematically shut down most of Port's players and habitual strategies.

Helen -- I live in the streets of Port Adelaide, so I have no real choice. But I can tell you that it is strangely quiet.

A great shame you were missing some and that it was not the kind of game we had the week before - no one deserves to get thumped when they have got this far.Ditto regarding the seconds thing - I wish they would go back to giving out the medals for everyone, not just the winners.

About Me

Read, Think, Write is dedicated to all things books and writing. It incorporates two previous blogs, Australian Literature Diary (2005-2010) and Ask the Brontë Sisters (May-July 2007).
Still Life With Cat is an all-purpose blog containing reflections on whatever is going on in the realms of literature, politics, media, music, dinner, gardening etc.
Blogs by Kerryn Goldsworthy, a writer, critic and editor who lives and works in Adelaide, South Australia.